Station-indicator or advertiser.



B. R. SKINNER.

STATION INDICATOR 0R ADVERTISER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1911.

Patented May 21, 1912.

4 SHEETS-'SHEET 1. l

' -ATTORNEX cLumulA PLANOORAPH Cu.. WAsmNTUN. 0. c.

B. R. SKINNER.'

STATION VINDIoAToR 0R ADVERTISER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1911.

Patented May 21, 1912.

JNVENTOR:

Y V Wm B. R. SKINNER.

STATION INDIOATOR on ADVERTISER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. Z1, 1011.

1,027,082. l Patented May 21, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Ml@ 4 @f 4 'A TT'ORNEY.

coLuMBIA PLANDGRAPN C0..WA3M|NOTON, l. r.

B. R. SKINNER.

STATION INDICATOR 0R ADVERTISER.

APrLIoATIoN FILED AUG. 21, 1911.

1,027,082. l Patented May 21, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' J9 l W/TNEssEs l l WEA/Tom ATTORNEY.

coLuMBlA PLANuaR/Pn t0.. wAsmNoroN, u. c.

UNITED STAIES yPAIEN'I OFFICE.

BURR R. SKINNER, 0F ABERDEEN, SOUTH DAKOTA.

STATION-:Numeros on ADVERTISER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURR R. SKINNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Aberdeen, in the county of Brown and State of South Dakota,have invented a new and useful Station-Indicator or Advertiser, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters and igures of reference markedthereon.

This invention relates to mechanical indicators or advertisers of thetype that is adapted to be manually controlled, for indicating orannouncing the names of stations or streets on lines of travel of carsor other passenger vehicles, or for advertising purposes, the inventionhaving reference particularly to improvements in the apparatus formoving and controlling the name ribbons which carry the names of thestations or advertising matter.

The object of the presentinvention is to provide simple and cheapmechanism for operating the name ribbons and to stop them accurately inthe proper relative positions without tearing or otherwise damaging theribbons, a further object being to improve the construction generally inindicators or advertisers.

With the above mentioned and minor objects in view, the inventionconsists in an improved machine comprising a name ribbon mounted onrollers, and a spring actuated mechanism for operating the rollers tomove the ribbon, the spring being adapted to be wound up or put undertension each time the ribbon is to be shifted, the mechanism includinggoverning means for retarding the action of the spring when the ribbonis about to be stopped accurately in the proper position, so as toprevent fracture of the ribbon; and the invention consists further inthe novel parts and combinations and arrangement of parts as hereinafterparticularly described and pointedV out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improvedmachine; Fig. 2, a side elevation partially broken away; Fig. 3, avertical section on the line A A in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a vertical sectionon the line B B in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a fragmentary front elevation of themachine minus the front of the casing thereof; Fig. 6, an end elevationof one of the ribbon rollers; Fig. 7 a sectional view of the rollerSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application led August 21, 1911.

Patented May 21, 1912.

Serial No. 645,070.

on the line C C in Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a fragmentary section on the plane ofthe line D D in Fig. 3; Fig. 9, a fragmentary horizontal section on theline E E in Fig. 5; Fig. 10, a fragmentary section on the line F F inFig. 2; Fig. 11, a section of the air release valve used in connectionwith the motion retarding apparatus; Fig. 12, a' perspective view of oneof the parts of the motion retarding apparatus; Fig. 13, a fragmentaryvertical section on the line G G in Fig. 5; Fig. 14, a perspective viewof a guide for the parts shown in Fig. 12; Fig. 15, a fragmentarysection on the line `H H in Fig. 10; Fig. 16 a fragmentary horizontalsection on the line I I in Fig. 4; Fig. 17, a perspective view of one ofthe guards of the ribbon stopping mechanism; Fig. 18, a fragmentarysection on the line J J in Fig. 4; Fig. 19, a fragmentary section on theline K K in Fig. 5; and Fig. 20, a fragmentary perspective view Iof anend lportion of the main ribbon and one of the stop bars thereof.

Similar reference characters throughout the different figures of thedrawings indicate like elements or features of construction hereinreferred to.

The improved indicator or annunciator comprises a casing which isadapted to be constructed of suitable reinforced sheet metal, portionsof the casing being adapted to constitute a' frame Afor supporting themechanism. The casing comprises a back 1 provided at its upper portionwith supporting ears 2 and 2, and at its lower portion with similar ears3 and 3. The bottom of the casing comprises an end section A4 secured tothe back, a relatively narrow door 7 is connected thereto by means of4hinges S, a side 9 provided with a reinforcement 10 being secured to theback 1 and the top 6 and also the bottom portion 4, a similar side 11provided with reinforcement 12 being secured to the back and top andalso to the bottom section 4. The door 7 is connected detachably to thedrop door 4 preferably by means of a hasp 13, a bolt 14 and a thumb nut15. The door 7 has a sight opening 16 in which a suitable stationarysign 17 is displayed. The door has also another sight opening 18 thereinthrough the ribbon, said plates 44 and 45 having porbon having suitablestation names 40 or which the station names or other matter may be seen.The casing has a partition 19. provided with reinforcement 20 securedtherein at a suitable distance from the side 11 and it is secured to thebottomportion 4 andalso to the back and top of the casing. A shaft 21 isrotatably mounted in the side 9 and in the partition 19 and extendsIthrough the latter, and it has a roller 22 'mounted fixedly thereon, theroller being arranged between said side and partition, and a bevelgear-wheel 23 is secured to the shaft beyond the partition. A brakewheel 24 is secured to the shaft adjacent the partition, and a. springshoe 25 is secured to the partition and partially embraces the brakewheel for preventing the roller from acquiring momentum when unrollingthe name ribbon therefrom. A stub shaft 26 is rotatably mounted in thepartition 19 and also. in a suitably supported journal-box 27, the stubshaft extending through the partition in both directions and having achucking head 28 thereon presented toward the side 9, a centering shaft29 being mounted in the side 9 and provided with a spring latch 30 whichis secured to said side and normally rests in a notch 31 in the side ofthe shaft, the outer end of the shaft being provided with a knob orhandle 32 for turning the shaft and moving it endwise. A roller 33 isdetachably connected to the chucking head 28 and is rotatably supportedon the centerf ing shaft 29. A bevel gear-wheel 34 is seicured to thestub shaft 26. A brake wheel 35 1 is secured also to the stub shaft, andis embraced by a spring shoe 36which is mounted lon the partition 19 forslightly retarding the motion of the roller 33. Two guide rolls 37 and38 are rotatably mounted in the side j 9 and in the partition 19adjacent the front i 7, and a name ribbon 39 is suitably con-: necteddetachably to the two rollers 22 and i and extends over the guide rollsand be- 1 tween them and the front door 7, the ribj other matter thereonadapted to be seenf through'the sight opening 18. In order to stop theribbon accurately so that the sta-jl tion names shall be clearly seen atthe sight opening the ribbon is provided with a suitable number of stopbars 41 which extend; beyond the opposite edges of the ribbon. A guideplate 42 is secured to the side 9 and partition 19 and extends behindthe ribbon between the two guide rolls 37 and 38, the plate havingopenings 43 and 43 therein. l A guide plate 44 is secured to the side 9,

and a somewhat similar guide plate 45 is secured to the partition 19,the guide plat-es 44 and 45 extending opposite the end portions of theplate 42 in a plane forward of tions thatextend at the fronts of the endportions of the guide rolls37 and 38. The

opposing guide plates are adapted-to guide the stop bars 41 of theribbon while the stop bars are in position for stopping the ribbon inthe required position. The guide plates 44 and 45 have apertures 46 and46 therein respectively that are covered by guards 47 and 47respectively, the guards covering also the openings 43 and 43 in theplate 42. A rock shaft 48 is suitably mounted in the side 9 andpartition 19, and it extends through the partition and has an arm 49secured theretovto which a spring 50 is connected, the spring beingconnected to ,the partition 19 for retracting the arm. Two other arms 51and 51 are.- secured to the rock shaft, and have fingers 52 and 52connected thereto by means of pivots 53 and 53 respectively. The armshave stop projections 54 and 54 thereon respectively, which extendthrough openings 55 and 55 in the fingers for limiting the movement ofthe fingers on the pivots, the ngers extending through the openings inthe plate 42 and in the guide plates 44 and 45 and are adapted to move adistance equal to the width ofY the stop bar on thename ribbon. Springs56 and 56 are secured to the arms and engage the pivoted end portions ofthe lingers so as to yieldingly hol-d the fingers in the positions inwhich they may be adjusted on the pivots, the springs and the lingersbeing suitably adapted for the purpose.

A shaft- 57 is arranged vertically in the casing opposite the ends ofthe shaft 21 and stub shaft 26, and it extends through the bottomportion 4 and preferably through the top 6 of the casing. The shaft isrotatably mounted in suitably supported journal-boxes 58 and 59preferably mounted on the partition 19. A bevel wheel 60 is secured tothe shaft adjacent to the wheel 23., and another bevel wheel 61 issecured to the shaft in reverse order adjacent to thewheel 34, thearrangement being such that either bevel wheel may be moved intoengagement with the wheel that Ais adjacent to it. A ratchet-wheel 62 issecured also to the shaft 57, and a spur toothed wheel 63 is rotatablymounted on the shaft adjacent to the ratchet wheel, and has -a pawl 64mounted thereon that is spring pressed into engagement with the ratchetwheel. The lower end of the shaft 57 has a hand wheel 65 secured theretobelow the casing so that when desired the shaft may be rot-ated by handor may be moved endwise for shifting the wheels 60 and 61. Tithin thecasing the shaft 57 has a grooved collar 66 thereon. An arm 67 isprovided with lingers 68 which extend into the groove of the collar, andthe arm is supported at one end on a shaft 69, the opposite end of thearm being provided with a latch bar 70, which extends thro-ugh a slot 71in the bottom portion 4 of the casing, the latch bar having notches 73therein whereby the latch bar is adapted to engage the bottom portion 4,a suitable spring 7 2 being mounted on the arm 67 and normally holdingthe latch bar in engagement with the bottom portion so that the desiredposition of the shaft 57 may be maintained.

y A stub shaft 74 is mounted on the partition 19 and rotatably supportsa wheel or curved rack bar 75, which has crown teeth 76 thereon that areconstantly in engagement with the teeth of the wheel 63 which isrelatively broad faced, so as to permit the wheel 63 to be moved withoutbecoming disengaged from the wheel 75. The periphery of the wheel 75 hasa groove 77 therein, in which is a chain or cable 78 that is secured tothe wheel by a suitable lug 79. One end of the chain is connected to acoil spring 80, which has a screw threaded rod 81 connected thereto, therod extending through the bottom portion 4 of the casing and having anadjusting nut 82 'thereon engaging the under side of said bottomportion. The spring is coiled somewhat closely so as to draw the chaintoward the bot-tom of the casing. The chain extends over the uppermostportion of the wheel 75 and down through the bottom of the casing, andhas a hand-hold 83 attached to its lower end below the casing, theportion 4 of the bottom having a suitable guideway 85 therein throughwhich the chain may be smoothly guided. Preferably a guide eye 84 ismounted on the partition 19 and the chain extends through it. The chainhas a button 86 secured thereto which is adapted to engage an aperturedarm 87 that is connected at one end to the shaft 69, the latter beingsuitably supported in the casing, and a stiff link 88 is connected tothe arm 87 and also to the arm 49 so that the spring 50 acts to retractthe arm 87 after the button 86 is carried away from the arm. The arm 87is limited in movement between two suitably supported rods 89 and 90.

An arm 91 is pivotally connected at one end to a suitably supportedshaft 92, and it has a forked end 93 through which the chain 78 extendsto be engaged by the button 86. Preferably a slotted guide 94 is securedto the shaft 90 and guides the arms 91 but may in some cases bedispensed with. An air cylinder 95 is secured to the partition 19, andit has a piston 96 therein provided with a rod 97 that is connected tothe arm 91, the piston preferably having a cupped leatherpacking so thatit may freely descend but is retarded by trapped air when ascending. Theupper end of the cylinder is provided with a valve casing 98 in which aneedle valve 99 is adjustably mounted for variably controlling theoutlet of the trapped air.

A ratchet-wheel 100 is arranged similarly to the ratchet-wheel 62 and issecured to the shaft 57 preferably above the top 6 of the casing, theratchet-wheel having a relatively broad face and is engaged by a pawl101 suitably supported upon the casing and spring pressed into contactwith the ratchet-wheel by means of a spring 102 connected to the pawland also to the top 6, so as to prevent the pawl 64 when riding backwardon the ratchet-wheel 62 from turning the shaft 57 backward. Preferablythe pawl 101 has a bell clapper 103 thereon adapted to strike a gong 104mounted upon the top 6 of the casing, the pawl preferably beingconnected to the top by means of a pivot 105. It should be understoodthat the hand-hold 83 is preferably formed of leather and has a tasselbut may be otherwise constructed, or it may be omitted and the chain 78operatedotherwise than by hand, and various other modications may fairlybe made within the scope of the appended claims.

In practical use the chain is pulled down through the guideway 85 so asto turn the wheel 75 and the wheel 63 and put the spring 80 undertension, without turning the shaft 57 which is connected with either oneof the rollers that move the name ribbon. lVhen the chain is pulleduntil stopped the arm 87 is moved downward as is also the arm 49 so thatthe lingers 52 and 52 are withdrawn from contact with the stop bar 41 ofthe ribbon. The weight of the arm 91 moves the piston 96 downward afterthe button 86 is moved away from the end 93. The chain is then releasedand the spring 8() permitted to turn the wheel 75 in the oppositedirection, so as to turn the wheel 63 that carries the pawl 64 whichturns the ratchet wheel 62 and consequently rotates the shaft 57, theshaft causing the roller with which it may be connected to rotate, andthe ratchet-wheel 100 causes repeated movements of the pawl 101 and thehammer 103, so that the `gong is sounded each time the ribbon is shiftedso as to expose a new station name or sign. After the ribbon has begunto move the fingers 52 and 52 are again projected into the path of thenext succeeding stop bar and the force of the spring is resisted by theribbon which, as will be seen, is frail and should be stopped graduallyso as to prevent the stop bar from being pulled from the ribbon. As thebutton 86 moves upward, while the ribbon has shifted nearly to thedesired extent, the button comes in contact with the end 93 of the arm91 and causes slight compression of air in the cylinder 95 so as togradually check movement of the ribbon moving gearing that is actuatedby the spring 80. The arrangement is such, however, that the chain ispositively stopped by the button 86 and arm 91 before fracture of theribbon can take place after having been gradually stopped at the exactposition required for exposure of the station name. Vhen the stop barsil are traveling downward the stop fingers 52 and 52 are drawn downwardby the stop bars and remain in such adjustment until the ribbon isreversed, when the first stop bar that engages the lingers moves themupward in which position they remain until the ribbon is again startedin the reverse direction.

The cushion or dash pot illustrated serves to prevent accidents in casethe operator should accidentally release the chain 78 after putting t-hespring under tension, and it should be understood that any othersuitable dash pot or devices for performing the function thereof may beprovided, if preferred.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, ism

l. A station indicator or advertiser in-A cluding two rotatablysupported rollers, a ribbon connected to the rollers, a rotatablysupported wheel, a supported spring, a supported dash-pot, a pistonmovable in the dash-pot, a movable device connected to the piston, acable connected to the spring and extending about the wheel and having abutton thereon for engaging the device, and means for connecting thewheel with either one of the rollers for moving the ribbon.

2. A station indicator o-r advertiser including a casing, two rollersrotatably mounted in the casing and provided each with a bevel gearwheel, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing to move longitudinallyand having two bevel gear wheels fixed thereon movable alternatively toengage the gear wheels of the rollers, a crown wheel rotatably mountedin the casing, a spur wheel rotatable on the shaft and meshing with thecrown wheel, al pawl mounted on the spur wheel, a ratchet wheel securedto the shaft and engaged by the pawl, a coil spring connected to thecasing, and a cable connected to the spring and also to the crown wheel.

8. A station indicator or advertiser including a casing, two rollersrotatably mounted in the casing, two bevell gear wheels connected to thetwo rollers respectively, a ribbon connected to the rollers, a shaftrotatably mounted and movable longitudinally in the casing, two bevelgear wheels secured to the shaft in proximity to the two bevel wheelsthat are connected to the rollers, two ratchet .wheels secured to theshaft, a spur wheel rotatably mounted on the shaft, a crown wheelrotatably mounted in the casing in mesh with the spur wheel, means forrotating the crown wheel to and fro, a pawl movably mounted on the spurwheel and engaging one of the two ratchet Wheels, a gong supported onthe casing in proximity to the shaft, and a pawl pivoted to the casingand engaging the other one of the ratchet wheels and having a hammerthereon 'that is adjacent the gong.

4. A station indicator or advertiser including a casing, two rollersrotatably mounted in the casing, a bevel gear wheel secured to one ofthe rollers, a shaft'rot'atably mounted in the casing, a bevel gearwheel secured to the shaft and meshing with the gear wheel that issecured to the roller, a ratchet wheel secured to the shaft, a spurwheel rotatable on the shaft, a pawl movably connected to the spur wheeland engaging the ratchet wheel, a crown wheel rotatably supported in thecasing and meshing withV the spur wheel, the crown 'wheel having agroove in its periphery, a coil spring connected to the casing, a cableconnected to the spring and extending in said groove and through thecasing, the cable being secured to the crown wheel, a ribbon connectedto the two rollers, stop bars secured to the ribbon, an arm pivotallysupported in the casing, a button secured to the cable for moving thearm in one direction, a rock shaft mounted in the casing and operativelyconnected with the arm, a spring supported in the casing for moving thearm in the opposite direction, and fingers movable by the rock shaft toor from the path of movement of the stop bars.

5. In a station indicator or advertiser, the combination with a casing,two rollers rotatably mounted in the casing and provided each with agear-wheel, a ribbon connected to the rollers, and stop bars secured tothe ribbon, of a rock-shaftmounted in the casing, two arms secured tothe rock-shaft and having each a finger thereon normally projected intothe path of movement of the stop bars, a shaft rotatably mounted andmovable longitudinally in the casing, two gear-wheels secured to theshaft in proximity to the gear-wheels of the rollers respectively, acurved rack-bar pivotally sup ported in the casing, a toothed wheelrotatable on the shaft and meshing with the rack-bar, a pawlv mounted onthe toothed wheel, a ratchet wheel secured to the shaft and engaged bythe pawl, a spring operatively connected with the casing and therack-bar for moving the ribbon to carry the stop bars tothe fingers, acylinder supported in the casing, a piston movable in the cylinder, andmeans enabling the cylinder and the piston to cooperate with therack-bar to resist the action of the spring when the stop bars areapproaching the fingers.

6. In a station indicator, the combination with a casing, two vrollersrotatably mounted in the casing and provided each with a bevelgear-wheel, a ribbon connected to the rollers, and stop bars secured tothe ribbon, of a plurality of guides mounted in the casing at oppositesides of the ribbon and having openings therein, a rock-shaft mounted inthe casing, two arms secured to the rock-shaft and having each a ngerthereon normally projected through the openings into the path ofmovement of the stop bars, an operating arm secured to the rock-shaft, aspring operating to turn the rock-shaft for projecting the fingers, ashaft rotatably mounted and movable longitudinally in the casing, twobevel gear-wheels secured to the shaft in proximity to the bevelgear-wheels of the rollers respectively, a curved rack-bar pivotallysupported in the casing, a spur wheel rotatable on the shaft and meshingwith the rack-bar, a pawl mounted on the spur wheel, a ratchet wheelsecured to the shaft and engaged by the pawl, a coil spring operativelyconnected with the casing and the rack-bar, means connected to therack-,bar for pulling the spring into tension, and linger-retractingmeans operable by the spring tensioning means.

7. In a station indicator or advertiser, the combination with a casing,two rollers rotatably mounted in the casing, and a ribbon connected tothe rollers, of a wheel rotatably mounted in the casing and having agroove in the periphery thereof, a coil spring connected at one endthereof with the casing, a cable connected at one end thereof totheopposite end of the spring and extending over the wheel in the groovethereof, the cable being secured to the wheel andy having a buttonthereon, two brake wheels connected to the two rollers respectively, twoelastic brakes mounted in the casing and embracing the two brake wheelsrespectively, an arm pivoted in the casing and extending nearly to thecable opposite the button, a speed retarder connected to the arm, andgearing connected with the grooved wheel and movable into operativeconnection with either one of the rollers.

8. In a station indicator or advertiser, Athe combination with a casing,two rollers rotatably mounted in the casing and having each a gear wheelthereon, a ribbon connected to the rollers, and stop bars secured to theribbon, of a rock shaft mounted in the casing, two arms secured to therock shaft and having projections thereon, two fingers pivoted to thearms and having openings therein loosely receiving the projections tolimit the movement of the fingers on their pivots, springs mounted onthe arms and engaging the pivoted portions of the fingers, an operatingarm secured to the rock shaft, a spring operating to turn the rock shaftfor projecting said fingers into the path of movement of said stop bars,a main spring mounted in the casing, gearing connected with the mainspring an movable into connection with either one of said gear wheels, achain connected with the spring for putting it under tension, a buttonsecured to the chain, and devices connected with the operating arm andadapted to be engaged by the button for retracting the fingers.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BURR R. SKINNER. Witnesses:

CLYDE BowMAN, K. Nt OHLHOUSE.

copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

dos

